Chapter 1: What the Night Hides
Asbel crouched by the foliage, surveying the abandoned building. It was an old mansion, where a powerful noble must've lived a long, long time ago. Its owner had likely left the isolated place in exchange for the security of the capital, once he realized the dangers of living so far from the Hunter's Order.
However, despite its state, the mansion was not empty. Asbel could feel a presence inside, a pulsing energy he had detected miles away. As soon as he sensed it, he started running as fast as he could, hoping to catch his target before it escaped.
But the presence had not budged.
Concealed by overgrown bushes and the moonless night's darkness, Asbel bit his lip, wondering. He knew his prey could feel him from this distance. Even if its senses were dull and weak, it would've been able to detect him long ago. And then, it should have ran away - after all, even his most powerful targets tried to escape when they sensed his presence, so why would this one, barely above average, wait for him?
At first, Asbel had suspected a trap. There might've been others, concealing their essence in an attempt to lure Asbel into attacking. But close as he was, he would've been able to detect them, no matter how good they were at keeping themselves hidden. His target must be alone.
Why didn't it flee?
Shaking his head, Asbel dismissed the question. Those creatures' purposes were none of his business; he only had to kill them. With a deep breath, he rose from his hiding place and dashed silently towards the mansion, hand on the hilt of his sword.
He reached the front door, forcing it open with a powerful kick. Wood splintered, bits and pieces flying into the hall as Asbel stepped inside. His eyes strained to adapt to the new, darker surroundings; thankfully, his night vision was better than that of a normal human's. Not as good as his enemy's would be, though.
He waited, the shapes around him growing more and more defined, until Asbel could see the clear signs of decay. The hall, which must've been luxurious once, was coated with thick layers of dust and mold. Little furniture remained, and most of it was falling apart. A broken chandelier lay in the middle of the room, its large metallic structure covered in cobwebs. It took some effort to sidestep it without making too much noise on the old floorboards.
As Asbel crept though the house, the presence remained still. His heart fluttered, a knot of apprehension forming in his throat. What if the presence was actually insurmountably powerful, to the point where it had become able to manipulate its aura of strength as a way to fool hunters into attacking? It was extremely unlikely, yet Asbel couldn't help but tighten his grip on his sword. Room to room, he moved as silently as he could, even while blood pounded in his ears.
The presence was close now, so very close. He had lost count of how many rooms he had passed, all of them falling apart. Asbel was almost used to the smell of dust and mold—
Until his surroundings changed.
The door he had opened led to a smaller room, probably a study. However, its most striking feature wasn't its size, but how clean it was. All of the dust that covered the rest of the mansion was gone. Not only that, but the furniture was in far better condition: still old, and also mismatched - likely having been brought from other rooms - but… surprisingly usable.
The study had two doors other than the one Asbel stood by. One of them was open, leading to a dark room. The other was closed.
Asbel could feel what waited beyond it.
He took slow steps towards that door, feeling his breath quicken as he grew closer. The presence still refused to move. He reached the door, hand sweating on the grip of his sword. Taking a final, deep breath, he kicked it open.
The room was illuminated by warm yellow candlelight. It flickered, the single flame wavering as the door flung open. A male figure stood by an open window, facing away from Asbel; he had long, golden hair, and a tall, slender frame. The clothes he wore would've been fit for royalty, had they not been so battered and worn.
Asbel immediately took on a defensive stance, feet firmly planted on the floor, hand ready to draw his sword. Despite how cool the night was, he felt sweat on his brow. His heart also pounded, but his breath was perfectly even. He had been trained for this. He never panicked in front of an enemy.
Unwilling to risk attacking first, Asbel waited. The candle stopped flicking. And finally, the man turned.
Asbel didn't know what he had expected of his foe's face, but it… it wasn't this. His features were delicate and fair, almost too pure for what he was. And he looked young, as young as Asbel himself, and yet… his expression seemed exhausted, as if it should've belonged to an old, dying man. His tired, sunken eyes were fixed on Asbel's face; their irises had the familiar red tint common to all vampires, but the color was faded, dull, almost imperceptible.
It meant that this man had not drank human blood in a long, long time.
And it meant he was on the verge of death.
Asbel's grip on his sword loosened. He couldn't understand. There was a small village nearby - it should've been easy for this vampire to feed at will. And yet he didn't. He didn't, and he didn't run when a hunter came for him. Even now, he gave no indication that he would try to escape, or even fight back. Why?
"What are you waiting for?"
Asbel flinched, surprised at hearing the man speak. His voice was gentle, but it sounded so weak, barely a whisper. A tired voice… like his eyes.
What was Asbel waiting for?
"Why didn't you run?" Asbel asked quietly, trying to silence the part of him that already knew the answer. "Don't you know what I am?"
"A hunter," the man replied, looking at the floor. "You're here to kill me. I won't resist."
Asbel's hand dropped from the hilt of his sword, falling by his side. He had expected this response from the moment he saw the man's eyes, but refused to believe it. That wasn't how a vampire was supposed to act - they never submitted. They never gave up. When cornered, they always fought to the death, clinging to the small chance they would be able to escape. They were ruthless, bloodthirsty creatures, willing to do anything to survive.
How could Asbel murder a being who offered no resistance?
"Please," the man muttered, voice shaky, insistent and desperate. "Do it. I can't… I can't stand it anymore."
His lips parted, revealing a pair of pronounced canines. Usually, they wouldn't be much longer than the average human's, but they were supposed to extend when a vampire was about to feed. The same was said to happen when one was on the edge of starvation.
"How long has it been?" Asbel asked, unbelieving. "Since you… since you last drank…"
The man's gaze fell again. He did not answer.
"Why did you stop? What changed?"
The man looked up, pale red irises reflecting candlelight. When he spoke, his voice almost broke, "I can't end other people's lives to prolong my own. I can't live with so much blood on my hands. I'd… I'd rather die."
Asbel swallowed, his chest tightening. A vampire who refused to kill— could it mean…? "Were you… were you Turned against your will?"
The man looked away, giving a brief, hesitant nod.
Asbel's eyes widened - he had never heard of a human becoming a vampire by force. Without thinking, he blurted, "Who did it?"
The man bit his lip, muttering, "His name was Cedric."
Cedric… It sounded familiar, but Asbel couldn't think of any known vampire who went by that. "Why did he do it? I've heard Turning is difficult and painful on both parties. Why would he waste his own blood on someone who doesn't want to be a vampire?"
"Spite," the man replied, hands clenching into fists, "His grudges always ran deep. He knew that I… I would hate becoming this more than anything."
A shiver ran down Asbel's spine. It sounded like the most horrible kind of torture: going through all the pain involved in Turning, only to wake up as a monster, knowing you could never be the same again and that the only way to survive was to feed on human blood… For a kind-hearted man, nothing could be worse.
And this man truly seemed to be kind.
"What's your name?" Asbel asked, knowing he was starting something he would likely regret.
The man hesitated, but eventually answered, "Richard."
"I'm Asbel," he replied, holding out his hand. "Nice to meet you, Richard."
The man - Richard - stared at Asbel's hand as if it was the strangest thing in the world. His gaze hopped between the open palm and Asbel's face, as if he expected Asbel to change his mind at any moment. Once he was convinced Asbel wouldn't, he muttered, "You… you want to shake hands with the person you're about to kill?"
"No. I mean— I want to shake hands with you. But I'm not going to kill you."
From the way Richard's eyes widened, it seemed Asbel had said the opposite thing. "But you're a hunter. You cannot let me live."
"The reason I have to kill vampires is because they're dangerous," he said, withdrawing his hand; it was clear Richard wouldn't shake it. "But you're not. I'm sure you wouldn't hurt anyone."
Richard's gaze fell. "I've hurt them in the past. When I was turned into… into this monster, I was forced into drinking the blood of dozens of people. You cannot let me go free." His voice was rising, ridden with desperation.
"I'm not a lawmaker. It's not in my place to arrest or judge you for any crimes you might've committed in the past." Asbel bit his lip, turning away. "I'm sure you're not dangerous anymore. So… I'll leave now."
"No!" Richard dashed towards him, grabbing his arm and forcing Asbel to face him. "Please. I can't stand it anymore. This hunger, it's— it's tearing me apart. And it only becomes worse with each passing day. Please, Asbel. End this now."
Richard's wide eyes, filled with terror, were locked on Asbel's face. This close, it was shocking how faint the red tint was - Asbel could even see Richard's original eye color underneath. He really must be nearing the end… it would be a matter of days, a couple weeks at most. And during that time, his pain would only increase, until it culminated in a miserable, agonizing death.
If Asbel left now… he would be condemning Richard to that. But could he really kill him with his own blade? Live with the remorse of ending an innocent life, a life he should've been able to protect? There had to be another way. Richard deserved to live. Being turned into a vampire had not been his fault!
Another way. But Richard was starving. He needed human blood, yet any normal human would have to die if they wanted to help him.
…Unless the one providing the blood was more than a normal human.
Asbel swallowed, his throat going dry. There was only one solution. It was dangerous, crazy even, but Asbel would rather be called a fool than to stand idle and do nothing. If it meant saving another, then… he would always be willing to risk his own life.
Having come to a decision, he removed his coat, letting it fall to the floor. With shaky hands, he undid the first button of his shirt, pulling on the collar to expose his neck.
"You can drink some of my blood."
Richard's jaw dropped, his eyes widening in complete shock. Speechless, all he did was stare at Asbel's neck, in total disbelief— and anticipation. Yes, as surprised as he was, the glint that surged in his eyes was unmistakable.
"You… you can't mean it…"
"A hunter's blood is different than that of a normal human," Asbel interrupted, trying to keep his voice steady. "There's some sort of inherent power in it. Even if you only drink a little, it should be enough to… sate you."
Richard's eyes remained locked on Asbel's neck, but instead of approaching, he took a step back. "I… I cannot. Asbel, I'm not sure if I'm able to hold myself back. Not after so long. What if I end up…?"
"You're not gonna kill me by accident," Asbel replied, wishing he felt as confident as he sounded. "I… I trust you, Richard. If you went that long without giving in to the temptation of attacking someone to drink their blood, then I'm sure you can do it." Or so Asbel hoped. If something went wrong… no, he couldn't back down now. His decision had been made.
Richard, however, shook his head. "This is different. I… I can't risk it. I can't…" He drifted off, still staring longingly at Asbel's neck.
"It's fine," Asbel insisted, taking a step forward. "If you drink too much, I'll just push you away. Besides, as I hunter, I can stand losing a lot more blood than a normal person." He forced an awkward smile. "At worst, I'll just be a little light-headed."
Richard hesitated, gaze shifting between Asbel's face and his neck, as if trying to make sure he was indeed willing to do this. Richard must've been thinking Asbel was crazy, but in his situation, it would be a hard offer to deny. Eventually, his gaze fell to the floor, and he gave a weak nod. Richard, too, knew this was his last chance.
He took small, nervous steps towards Asbel. Watching Richard's approach, Asbel's heart fluttered with apprehension. It's too late to turn back. I have to do this.
Holding his breath, Asbel tilted his head to one side, exposing his neck further. He realized how much he was sweating, and had to clench his hands into fists to keep them from shaking. Hopefully, Richard wouldn't notice how anxious he was.
Heavens, what a terrible idea.
Richard stopped in front of him, his body only a couple inches from Asbel's own. Slowly, he leaned in, until his lips touched Asbel's neck. Their coldness sent a shiver down his spine. After drinking blood, a vampire's body temperature rose close to a human's; but the longer they went without it, the colder their bodies grew. Given how icy Richard's lips felt, Asbel wondered how he wasn't shivering. Could he even feel cold?
Richard's lips parted, brushing over Asbel's skin. Despite their temperature, they were… soft. As embarrassing as it was to admit, it felt good - almost as if Richard was kissing his neck. Asbel bit the inside of his cheek, trying to keep himself focused. This wasn't the time to space out.
A moment later, he felt a prickling sensation as Richard's teeth pressed against his skin. Pain flared for a second; and then, it was gone.
Asbel could barely describe what he felt next.
Euphoria. The entire room seemed to spin. His vision went blurry, his hands tingled, his knees became weak. He couldn't move his limbs, he couldn't see, he couldn't feel anything other than an overpowering, bizarre pleasure. Blood pounded in his ears, louder and louder, the sound of his own blood leaving his veins, being drained into Richard's body.
On and on it went, his life force being sucked out of him, while he was powerless to stop it. Asbel had heard about the effects of being bitten by a vampire; hunters were told of how dangerous it was, of how it always meant losing the battle… and your life. How foolish had Asbel been, to think he would have the strength to interrupt it, the willpower to push Richard away. He was completely at his mercy. If Richard wanted, he could kill him then and there.
Terror mixed with the euphoria. What if it had all been a ploy, an elaborate trap to make him submit? What if Richard kept going, drinking every last drop of his blood, until Asbel fell at his feet, dead? He couldn't die here, alone in the middle of nowhere, not with all the hopes and expectations the hunters had placed on him. He couldn't leave all the people who needed him behind!
And right then, while Asbel was being consumed by ecstasy and desperation, Richard suddenly stopped.
Asbel gasped. It felt like being hit by a wall of ice. His body was cold, so cold, and so weak he could barely stand. His head pounded, his dizziness so great he thought he would drop to the ground. The next thing he heard was a thump, and when he opened his eyes, he expect to find himself looking at the ceiling.
Instead, he was still standing, while Richard was the one kneeling on the floor.
A sudden rush of adrenaline made Asbel overcome his dizziness. What had gone wrong? He dropped by Richard's side and grabbed his shoulders, resisting the urge to shake him. "Richard, are you okay?"
Richard trembled softly when Asbel touched him. Blond hair hid most of his face; Asbel could only see his lips, half-parted, dripping red. Richard ran his tongue over them, licking the blood, and mumbled, "I'm sorry."
"You're— what are you sorry about? Are you okay or not?"
"I'm… I'm fine." His breathing was ragged; he licked his lips again. "I'm sorry, I'm just… overwhelmed."
Asbel breathed in relief. "It's okay. You… drank a lot of blood."
"I'm sorry," he repeated, voice shaky, eyes still veiled by his hair. "I lost control. I meant to stop earlier, but… I couldn't. I'm so sorry, Asbel."
"Don't worry about it." Asbel said, giving Richard's shoulder a reassuring squeeze. "I'm only a little light-headed, anyway." An obvious lie, but Richard was too dazed to notice.
Richard looked up, meeting Asbel's gaze. His eyes… were different. Now, instead of dull and pale, they were a deep scarlet, the color so vibrant it seemed to glow in the candlelit room.
It was a terrifying and beautiful sight.
"Thank you," he whispered through those reddened lips, "Thank you, Asbel."
For some reason, Asbel's heart skipped a beat. "I'm glad you're feeling better," he stammered awkwardly, not knowing what else to say. "I… I should probably get going now." Wary of his blood loss, he stood up slowly, careful not to worsen his dizziness.
Richard, however, grabbed his sleeve, stopping him mid-motion. "Y-You're leaving?"
"Um… yeah. I'm a hunter, and most vampires aren't as nice as you, so… I still have work to do." Well, for now he would just head to an inn and sleep until he no longer felt so faint, but eventually, he would need to return to his job. "You don't need to worry, though. I'll come back in six months or so. Then, you can…" - Asbel swallowed - "drink my blood again."
Richard froze, his eyes widening. "Six months?"
"I'll try to, though it might be a little more. I'm sorry, but depending on where the Hunter's Order needs me, it might be longer. I promise it won't take more than a year, though. You can survive that long without any blood, right?"
Richard stood up brusquely, nearly knocking Asbel off-balance. "That was your plan?" He blurted, almost a scream. "I might be able to survive six months, even a year. But when I last stopped drinking human blood, the hunger began after two days. A week later, and I was already in pain. After a month, I wanted to die. And now, you're asking me to go through it again?"
Asbel's eyes widened. "I… I'm not… Maybe it won't be so bad this time. I can try to come back earlier. I—"
"I'm sorry, Asbel," he cut in, voice shaky, "But I cannot agree with it. I thank you for what you have done for me, from the bottom of my heart. But if my life is going to remain the same, alone in this forsaken place while agonizing in pain… then I'd rather you end it now."
Asbel paled, feeling his breath catch in his throat. Kill Richard? But he had just risked his life to prevent that! Had he given up half of his blood only to go back to where he started? No… there had to be another way. Yet another way.
"I… I'll think of something," Asbel muttered, looking at his feet. What could he even do? "Can I sit? I'm a little dizzy."
Richard fetched him a chair, apologizing again, and left Asbel to himself while he waited by the window. He seemed to be watching the stars, like he had been doing when Asbel arrived. Alone in that mansion, it was probably the only thing he could do to pass his time.
Sighing, Asbel reached for the small waterskin he always kept on himself - his larger canteen was in his bag, left among the bushes outside the mansion - and drained most of its contents. He was also hungry, but unfortunately, that would need to wait. For now, he had to think.
Sitting back, he stared at the ceiling, wondering what other options he had. Every few moments, he shot a glance at Richard, who never left his spot by the window. How had he lived for so long, with no company at all? It was surprising he hadn't gone mad. Asbel probably would.
No one should ever be left alone, suffering by himself.
"I think I know what we can do."
Richard nearly jumped at Asbel's words. He turned towards him, eyes wide with anticipation.
Asbel continued, "You can travel with me. You can drink my blood whenever you need to, though I'd prefer it if you could… well, take a little less of it. Maybe a third of what you drank today, twice a week? Since I have hunter's blood, it will hopefully be enough to keep you from ever going hungry."
Richard nodded, enthralled.
"Since you're a vampire, you should have as much strength and stamina as me. You can probably keep up with my travels, and even fight if it's needed. Can you use a sword?"
Richard nodded again.
"That's good. I, um, well… I still have a lot of towns on the outskirts of the country that I need to visit, make sure they're safe. I'll probably end up having to kill a lot of other vampires. Would you… mind that?"
Richard's gaze fell. "Not at all. I hold no love for my kind."
"Okay. We're weeks from the center of the country, where the Hunter's Order is. Since I can't go back until I finish patrolling this area, that means it's going to be a while until I can take you there. But I plan to, eventually. Then you can stay with them. I'm sure they will take care of you."
Richard paled, losing all the enthusiasm he had displayed when Asbel began speaking. "Are you sure that's a good idea?"
"Yeah! By then, you will have been traveling with me for a while. It will be proof enough that you can be trusted. Besides, even if they can't bring themselves to trust you, it's not like you can try anything when you're surrounded by hunters." He paused, scratching his head. "At the Order, there'll be the issue of giving you blood, but I'm sure some hunters will volunteer to help you. Getting bitten by you doesn't hurt, after all." In fact, it was quite the opposite; Asbel couldn't help but blush at the thought.
"I… I hope you're right," Richard muttered, hesitant. A moment later, he straightened, "I'm sorry. I must sound ungrateful, after all you have done for me - and after all you're offering to do." Pausing, he smiled softly, his face lighting up. "Thank you so much, Asbel. I am forever in your debt."
Asbel was taken aback by Richard's expression, suddenly so radiant, so warm. It felt good to see him smiling at last.
"You're welcome, Richard," he replied, flashing a grin of his own.
Yes… Richard deserved a chance at happiness. Asbel's decision had been a dangerous one, but deep down, he knew he wouldn't regret it.